There are weekends when you just don't feel like making a big production of things. You want something that tastes of summer, impresses your guests a little, but doesn't require two hours of work in the kitchen. These two recipes are the answer.
The inspiration comes from one of summer's most classic flavor combinations – melon and prosciutto. The sweet, perfumed melon against the salty, umami-rich ham. It's simple, but it works every single time. The only question is: what if we elevated it into a glass?
The answer became two drinks. A frozen, scrapable granita you make the evening before. And a fat-washed spritz that uses prosciutto fat to round out and add depth to a light, sparkling drink. Both are perfect for a late afternoon in the garden, on the terrace, or wherever you happen to be spending your summer.
Recipe 1: Honeydew melon and mint granita
Granita is the closest thing to seaside service at home – only far better. It's not ice cream, not a slushie. It's a scraped, crystalline fruit ice with an almost rustic texture that is surprisingly elegant to serve. And the best part? You do almost nothing. The freezer does the work.
This version uses honeydew melon as the base. Ripe, summer-sweet and with a floral aroma that only fresh mint can match. A pinch of flaky salt and a little lime juice make sure it doesn't get too tame – you want a drink, not a nursery-school dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe honeydew melon (approx. 800–900 g cleaned fruit)
- 2 tbsp sugar (adjust to the melon's sweetness)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 small handful of fresh mint leaves
- 1 pinch of flaky salt
- 1–2 tbsp water, if needed
Method
- Halve the melon, remove the seeds and scoop out the flesh. Roughly chop and place in a blender.
- Add the sugar, lime juice, mint and a pinch of flaky salt. Blend until completely smooth. Taste – you want a clear sweetness with a fresh tartness in the background.
- Pour the mixture into a flat, metal container. A loaf tin works perfectly.
- Place in the freezer. After 1 hour: scrape the surface with a fork so that the icing starts evenly.
- Repeat the scraping every 30 minutes for approximately 3–4 hours, until you have a light, crunchy granita.
- Serve in chilled glasses with a mint leaf and a small lime slice.
Tip: If you make it the evening before, give it one final scrape just before serving to loosen up the structure. Granita keeps well overnight.— MAGNUS MIXMASTER
Recipe 2: Prosciutto-washed spritz
Fat washing – infusing spirits or wine with fat – sounds more advanced than it is. The principle is simple: fat carries flavor. When you let melted prosciutto fat sit in contact with aperitif wine, the salty, umami-rich aromas transfer into the liquid. You then freeze the mixture, the fat solidifies and can be skimmed off – clear as a bell, but now with a depth and saltiness no other ingredient can give you.
Here we use aperitif wine as the base – something light and bitter, preferably a Lillet Blanc or a white vermouth. Combined with the prosciutto aromas and topped with bubbles, this is a drink that tastes of the classic flavor experience you know from a good antipasto spread. Salty, floral, lightly bitter – and with bubbles that lift the whole thing.
For the bubbles, I recommend a dry crémant. Peter & Peter Crémant Brut is a good choice – it has fresh acidity, neutral fruit and is affordable enough that you won't regret pouring it into a spritz. Alternatively, Arne & Carlos Hyggebobler Crémant de Loire works just as well, with a slightly rounder fruit profile and a charming Norwegian background that suits the style.
Ingredients
- 2–3 slices of prosciutto (thin, good quality)
- 20 cl Lillet Blanc or white vermouth
- 4–5 cl dry crémant or other dry sparkling wine
- 1 cl white balsamic (optional, but recommended)
- Ice
- Garnish: a thin slice of honeydew melon and freshly ground black pepper
Equipment for fat washing:
- A small frying pan
- Airtight container with a lid
- Freezer
Method
Fat washing – done 12–24 hours in advance:
- Place the prosciutto slices in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Let them render out the fat and become crispy – 3–4 minutes. Remove the ham (you can snack on it while you wait).
- Pour the liquid fat (approx. 1–2 tsp) into the Lillet Blanc or vermouth. Stir gently.
- Place the mixture in the freezer for a minimum of 8 hours. The fat solidifies on top.
- Skim off the fat layer with a spoon. Strain through a fine sieve or a coffee filter.
- The aperitif wine is now fat-washed and ready to use. It keeps well in the fridge for 3–4 days.
The drink itself:
- Fill a low wine glass with ice.
- Pour over 5–6 cl of the fat-washed aperitif wine.
- Add the white balsamic if you're using it – it contributes a sweet acidity that ties everything together.
- Top carefully with dry sparkling wine.
- Place a thin slice of honeydew melon on the rim of the glass and grind a little black pepper over the top.
Bubble tip: Avoid sweet prosecco varieties here – they will clash with the prosciutto saltiness. Stick to something dry and fresh, and let the fat-washed aromas shine.
Serve them together
The two recipes work excellently side by side. The granita as a chilled welcome snack or light dessert, the spritz as an aperitif while the grill coals warm up. The combination of the sweet, frozen melon and the salty, complex spritz is just as good in the glass as it is on the plate.
Invite your guests to try the granita glass between sips of the spritz. It's a small, fun detail that often starts a conversation – and that's really the whole point of a good weekend gathering.
Cheers, and enjoy the summer.
Quick guide: the two recipes
| Granita | Prosciutto spritz | |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation time | 4–5 hours (mostly freezing time) | 8–12 hours (fat washing) |
| Alcohol | None (can add a little Aperol) | Yes, light (approx. 10–12%) |
| Best served | As a welcome snack or dessert | As an aperitif |
| Difficulty | Easy | Medium |
